aging, combination, sensitive skin
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Mon Jul 17, 2006 11:00 am

Yes, my skin is all those things, plus I tend toward redness on my cheeks and have "smile" lines and a furrow between my brows. I've used many different lines and products, but I need advice on how to change or narrow down my products for the best skin-care regimen. I'm a smoker, too, and was told that vitamin C serum is a must, but I've abandoned the Cellex-C I was using because it sometimes stings a little and the odor got nasty after a couple of months.

Among the products I've liked: GM Collin (gel cleanser, Isotonic lotion, Bota-peptide, sensitive cream), Janson-Beckett AlphaDerma CE and DermaExcel; didn't like the facial skin prep), Kinerase (gentle cleanser and face cream), Jurlique (herbal eye gel), and Stri-Vectin SD (I found the results were as good as with more expensive Janson-Beckett). I've been told the Babor line is good, although they offer EITHER sensitive OR combination, but not both.

Can you help me?? Thanks you in advance ...

free skin care · Mon Jul 17, 2006 12:12 pm

Hi Anne,

your skin sounds almost exactly like my mum's except hers sounds a tad bit oilier than yours. her face gets easily irriated and i have gotten stuff for her in the past that her skin just won't tolerate, so i end up using it myself or giving it away. i have not tried the brands you've listed, but there is a line that works really well for her.

i have noticed that her rosacea seems to be under control and her lines smoothed out when she uses Arouge (recommended by JuJu Smile

). her skin is really calm now even in the middle of summer here in california and i myself am using the line too (i love it now), i have slightly sensitive skin myself. the skin silkening gel forms a protective layer on the skin, then you apply the moisture cream, and when you feel your skin, it feels like there's a light protective film. like on a baby's skin. there's samples you can request here and they are pretty quick about it http://www.zenyaku-usa.com/Zenyaku_Sample.asp

prior to this, i was deciding between la roche posay and arouge, but i have heard that LRP can irriate some people's skins even though it is really gentle.

also, skinceuticals c + e ferulic acid is an excellent vitamin c plus serum that does not irriate her face at all. you should definitely get samples prior to buying the full size cause it costs quite a mint!

hope this helps!

Mon Jul 17, 2006 12:51 pm

Thanks, skinaddicted. Although must say I have tried products that leave a "protective film" and don't like the feeling ...

Any other takers out there? (C'mon, somebody must be over 40 out there ... dare I say over 50?) Wink

free skin care · Mon Jul 17, 2006 3:32 pm

hi again anne--it's not a film exactly, so maybe my description is a little off. i would say it is suppleness that my skin hasn't had since i was say two years old Laughing

definitely try the samples though, i was hesitant at first (i am most definitely a dhc girl). also you might want to look at some DHC lines, they are fragrant and color free, very high quality products.

free skin care · Mon Jul 17, 2006 3:39 pm

I'm 43 and I've finally decided to focus on just a couple of imperfections at a time. I've been trying to find the perfect cocktail that fixes everything and I think I've realized I am just making some areas worse. Not to mention my last crazy impulse purchase for LiftFusion which did nothing. (But thanks ladies for clueing me in, I returned it to Sephora and exchanged it for a lot of more sensible products.)

I really did have perfect skin until a few years ago and it's been a real bummer to deal with rosacea...age spots...deep lines at the corner of my mouth...pores growing looking larger each morning...that hound-dog-face look.

I'm working on the red checks, age spot and dryness under my eyes. The lines, I think won't look as bad when the red/darkended skin around them evens out... At least that's what I'm hoping.

I ordered the Pevonia cleanser and toner for rosacea. I'm loving it so far. It's been 7 days and I can see a reduction in the red cheeks when I get up in the morning. The broken caps are still there, but without the bright red behind them, I can finally conceal them. I also started using PSF Emergen- C 7 days ago. (Did sting for a couple of days) Skin is looking more even and more hydrated. I've also been putting it on the back of one hand as a test to see if it really works. It is! Sunday, I purchased an eye cream that focuses on hydration, it also lifts and lightens, but I'm not going to worry about that just yet. I've only used it one day, so I can't tell if it is working.

I've been eyeing the neck exercises. I tried a few of them and my neck muscles hurt for a couple of days. So like any wimp, I stopped.

Once I feel like I have those issues worked out, then I'll go back to plumping, lifting and filling. Wink

free skin care · Mon Jul 17, 2006 4:24 pm

Not to sound like a broken record but IS Clinical's Proheal is great for including retinol for the lines and aging, Vit-c and olive leaf extract and it's great for the redness. It always gives my skin a glow. (Also their Super Serum is good).

Mon Jul 17, 2006 4:46 pm

I think a good C is a must, but that is hard to find. Skinceutical's good, but tooo pricey for me. PSF's a good value. Lots of people talk about Dr. Fulton's line, too, which is also pricey, but not like Skinceuticals.

free skin care · Mon Jul 17, 2006 5:03 pm

Okay ... had to weigh in here! Laughing

I am 55 ... and I've battled acne since my early teens. I tried several "this-will-work-for-you-HONEST" sorts of products ... and nothing worked for more than a little while.

My skin has always been on the oily side ... and my skin didn't respond well to most cosmetics and creams ... however, I wore cosmetics to cover the uglies that dotted my face! Crying or Very sad

About a year ago, I decided that it was time to take things in hand ... and get some actual, bone fide results. Laughing

I heard, somewhere, about OCM [Oil Cleansing Method]. It was inexpensive ... and what's more, the reasoning behind it made sense to me.

I also heard about Mineral Makeup ... and that search began ... to find my ideal MMU!

I added DIY Vitamin C serum ... and a DIY glycolic/sacycilic acid toner [about 8%, pH at 4] along with SA [4%] in my OCM mixture ... and I've been a happy clam for almost a year now. Laughing

The OCM normalized my skin so that it's no longer oily ... and helped clear up/out my congested pores ... the glycolic/sa toner helps to keep things "fresh" ... and the MMU protects my skin and doesn't clog my pores.

I make my own moisturizers ... generally from things like Rose Hip Seed Oil or Jojoba oil and currently I'm using a Pearl Paste of my own making.

The reason I focus on DIY is because my skin seems to react to something in commercial creams/lotions ... whether it's the emulsifiers or some common ingredient ... it's just way better for my skin if I stay away from commercial creams ... period! Laughing

I'm also loathe to spend money on products so DIY not only gives me control over WHAT is in my skin care but how much it costs me! Laughing

I'm fortunate that I don't have many lines for my age ... and I'm not concerned about laugh lines. I like faces to have character ... and I enjoy seeing people smile and laugh ... and when I see laugh lines, I see a person who enjoys himself/herself. Smile

My skin will never be flawless ... years of broken promises by commercial products and acne have seen to that ... however, my skin looks terrific now! Laughing

It's never looked better.

Keep your routine simple. If you don't ... you won't be able to follow through with it. Make sure that any routine and/or product makes sense ... and suits your skin and your lifestyle.

Mary

free skin care · Mon Jul 17, 2006 5:59 pm

Hi Anne
I'm the heaviest smoker I ever met and I reckon a Vit C serum is an absolute necessity for me.

If you're sensitive I would suggest you get a C-esters product rather than the L-Ascorbic. It's in a neutral base. L-Ascorbic has most research behind it, but there's research behind the other kind of C too.

See here for research
Vitamin C derivatives: skin benefits of ascorbic acid without the downside
http://www.smartskincare.com/treatments/vitcderiv.html

I've used the Janson Beckett C&C and I was happy with the results, but I'm just waiting for delivery of the Triple C fromwww.dianayvonne.com, which is much cheaper.

If you've got red & sensitive skin you might like to try Mandelic acid for your exfoliant - some people swear by it. (awaiting delivery)

I'd seriously advise you to get hold of some emu oil for it's anti-inflammatory properties and skin plumping.

And I'd recommend mild Copper peptides for their healing properties.

HTH Molly Smile

Mon Jul 17, 2006 7:13 pm

The vitamin C serum is indeed a must in my opinion. If you do not like the Cellex-C then try some other brands like maybe the PSF one (cheaper and more stable as well). It is also likely to sting less than the likes of the Cellex-C or Skinceuticals. Over that you can use the JB Alphaderma and that should do. If you can splurge on an eye cream then the Cellcosmet is great. If you're looking for something more reasonable then Babor Sensational Eyes is really nice but probably quite basic. There have been good reports about the Phytomer eye cream as well from what I recall and both of the PSF eye creams are also getting good reviews. If you have a really dry area then Shiseido Benefiance is very good (but quite rich as you would expect). HTH

Tue Jul 18, 2006 9:23 am

Thank you all so very much for your empathy and advice! I'll try a different vitamin C per your recommendations, and I sure appreciate the comparisons among products. Here's to naturally aging, healthy skin.

free skin care · Tue Jul 18, 2006 1:22 pm

Molly, I want to purchase the mandelic acid too, but I keep chickening out. Please let me know what you think of it.
I asked this in another post but can't find it. Can you use mandelic acid and still use exfoliating masks once or twice a week? Is that too much?

free skin care · Tue Jul 18, 2006 5:04 pm

Hi Razinkane
I'm looking forward to it too. It's something I've wanted for a long, long time. I'll post a review and let you know. From my reading over on the Skincareboard some people can use it with other exfoliants and some can't - depends on your sensitivity.

free skin care · Wed Jul 19, 2006 3:26 am

Hi Anne!

I have to recommend Ice Elements as it has done wonders for my skin... however, I noticed that you had to ditch your vitamin C and I think I know the exact product that you could replace that with.

It is by Ice Elements and is called the Blueberry mask. It is formulated with aloe vera, blueberries, blackberries and lots of other great stuff...

Along with being an anti-oxidant it also reduces redness, evens skin tone, tightens the skin and hydrates.

The mask is thin like a serum, so it sinks right in... Although you should get the full benefit with a 10 minute mask, you can leave it on for up to an hour.

It is a gentle mask, so you can use it up to 3 times a week... maybe more, but I do not want to say that as I do not know for sure... I think it would depend on what else you are using as it has the sugar acids in it, like a light glycolic....

They have a 2 oz size on sale at www.hsn.com for $19.99 and that will last a super long time! or you could probably pick it up direct from www.iceelements.com.

Take care.

free skin care · Wed Jul 19, 2006 3:59 am

Darphin's Intral line is good for redness & sensitivity. This spring, I used the Intral Complex & the Intral Soothing Gel with just a small (1/4) pump of the Fibrogene Intensive (for the anti-aging properties) & my redness disappeared completely. I had been blaming my headlight face on my age. This combo - recommended by the sales assistant - worked just like she said it would.

P.S. I have really oily skin & on the bottle the Fibrogene says that it's for dry skin. When I challenged the SA she said to bring all back if the combo didn't work within a few days.

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